Season guide · Porto · Portugal
Porto in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Geerd-Olaf Freyer from Aachen, Deutschland, CC BY-SA 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Mild, greening hills and fewer crowds, with frequent showers in March and April; May is warm and often sunny. Expect highs up to 20°C (68°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F), with about 31 rainy days across March–May. May is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 8°C (46°F) to 20°C (68°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 31
- Sea
- 13°C (55°F) to 15°C (59°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 17°C (63°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 11 | 11.8 h | 3/5 |
| April | 18°C (64°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 11 | 13.3 h | 3/5 |
| May | 20°C (68°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 9 | 14.5 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 18°C (64°F) against a yearly 19°C (66°F), and 31 of the year's roughly 113 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- May: Queima das Fitas — student festival (usually early May)
Good choices for spring
.jpg){kind=link}
Experience · Vila Nova de Gaia riverfront
Port-wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia
For centuries, port wine was shipped down the Douro and aged in lodges on the Gaia riverbank.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Food
- Couples
- Rainy day
- History
Architecture · Baixa and Aliados
Livraria Lello
Book the first time slot of the day online; queues on Rua das Carmelitas grow quickly.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Architecture · Baixa and Aliados
São Bento railway station
The entrance hall of this working railway station is lined with about 20,000 blue-and-white azulejo tiles by Jorge Colaço, completed in the early 20th century, showing battles, royal events and scenes of rural life in northern Portugal.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
.jpg){kind=link}
Palace · Ribeira
Palácio da Bolsa
Visits are by guided tour only; buy a ticket on arrival for the next tour in your language.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Religious site · Ribeira
Church of São Francisco
A plain Gothic exterior hides one of Portugal's most extravagant baroque interiors, with almost every surface covered in gilded carved woodwork, including a Tree of Jesse altarpiece.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Day trips in spring
- Douro Valley (About 2–2.5 hours by train) — Terraced vineyards along the Douro river produce port and table wines in a UNESCO-listed landscape.
- Guimarães (About 1 hour 15 minutes by train) — Considered the birthplace of Portugal, Guimarães has a medieval castle, the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza and a well-preserved UNESCO-listed old town of granite squares.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Porto?
Yes: May is among the best months. Mild, greening hills and fewer crowds, with frequent showers in March and April; May is warm and often sunny.
+What is the weather like in Porto in spring?
Highs of up to 20°C (68°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F), with about 31 rainy days over the season.